Picking up a motorcycle can be dangerous and cause serious injury if done incorrectly or under poor footing. A simple back injury could wreck your life! Always, always, always try to get help first-and remember you don’t want anybody else to get hurt, either. You need to think clearly, use common sense, and be in good physical condition. Keep your body and back straight, and lift only with your legs. Maintain control of the motorcycle and never twist your body while lifting. Check the motorcycle for damage prior to riding it again.

The majority of picking up a motorcycle is mental: Work smarter, not harder. Motorcycles are heavy machines. Think about how you want to do it first-if you were going to lift a 125kg refrigerator, would you just run up and grab it and start muscling it around, or would you plan your attack? What would you do if you were going to lift a 300kg refrigerator?The ideal situation for lifting a motorcycle would be

Have the lifting technique demonstrated by a qualified professional.

Practice with a qualified professional.

Have the qualified professional evaluate and coach your lifting technique.

Step 1: Assess YourselfTake a few minutes to calm down. Seeing your bike lying on its side can be a traumatic experience, but it happens to everyone at one time or another. Your bike’s not going anywhere without you. Spend a few minutes asking yourself questions and talking yourself through it: are you hurt? Are you able to pick up your motorcycle in a normal situation? Do you want to pick up your motorcycle? Is it safe to
pick up your motorcycle? Etc., etc. You have the rest of your life to pick up your bike; take a few minutes to relax and assess the situation. It’s best if you get help. And remember: if someone helps you, don’t forget to warn them not to touch the hot exhaust pipe, not to lift by the turn signals, etc. Also make sure they lift correctly. You don’t want someone else getting hurt.

Step 2: Assess the Environment|If you are in danger from other traffic, get away from your motorcycle and seek a place of safety. Let law enforcement respond and take control of the scene before picking up your motorcycle. Take a look at the ground: do you have a solid surface to lift from? Is there gravel? Is the pavement wet? Are you right next to a ditch? You don’t want to slip and get pinned under your bike.

Step 3: Assess the MotorcycleTurn it off using the engine cut-off switch or the ignition switch. Turn off the fuel using the fuel supply valve. Spilled fuel is common, so use caution (though usually you need sparks, flame, or an ignition source to have a fire or explosion.) If the motorcycle is lying on its right side, put the side stand down and put the motorcycle in gear. If the motorcycle is on its left side, you can’t put the side stand down and can’t put the motorcycle in gear. Make a mental note of these facts. You don’t want to pick up
your motorcycle and then immediately drop it onto its other side!

Techniques to Lift a Motorcycle; Facing the Motorcycle

For Small and Medium-Sized Motorcycles

Turn the handlebars to the full-lock position with the front of the tyre pointed skyward

Find the balance point of the two tyres and the engine, engine guard, or foot peg. The motorcycle will be fairly easy to lift until it reaches this point because it’s resting on its side. Once you start lifting from there, you are responsible for the most of the weight of the bike.

Stand very close to the handlebars. Plant your feet about shoulder-width apart with the lower handgrip in between them. Use both hands to lift. Keeping your back straight and your head up, lift carefully, keeping the handgrip close
to your body. Use your leg muscles for power, and not your back muscles.

Be careful you don’t lift the motorcycle up and then flip it onto its other side.

Riding with a group of friends appeals to many riders and is an activity that can enhance your
motorcycling experience. However, riding with a group that has not developed any group
guidelines can be a most unpleasant experience. Riding a motorcycle by nature is a solitary
activity, but riding with others will bring some benefits, such as: someone to be aware of you if
you have trouble, someone to help with routes, and someone to socialize with at stops. – Guidelines should be established for safety and cooperation.

General Group Riding Guidelines

Ride Your Own Ride

It is critical to your safety that you ride your own ride. Don’t try to keep up with a group that rides beyond your comfort or skill level, and don’t become preoccupied with riders behind you. Do not fall into the trap of focusing on the bike in front of you. Focus on the road, and what’s going on 4-12 seconds ahead of you. Check your mirrors about every seven seconds or so. Riding responsibly, within your limits, and with careful regard to your safety and the safety of others will win you the respect of those you’re riding with.

Arrive at the starting point early and with a full tank of fuel. Communicate your gas/mileage range with the ride coordinator so stops can be planned ahead of time. If you decide to leave the group, inform the ride coordinator at one of the stops.

Each rider is responsible for the safe operating condition of his/her motorcycle. Carry appropriate riding gear for the conditions you expect to encounter and carry a first aid kit and know how to use it. Ride within your limits, as a typical ride will be in remote areas without emergency services. Don’t allow peer pressure, pride, or stupidity push you beyond your comfort level. Expect to carry a map or a route sheet and know where the planned stops are if you need to fall back.

Safety Tips / Sharing the Road

A Guide for Motorists and Motorcyclists

Sharing the road with many types of vehicles is necessary for safe highways. Because motorcycles are unlike any other vehicle on the road, they require special considerations. While motorcycles are about as likely as cars to be involved in crashes, motorcyclists are almost three times more likely to be injured and five times more likely to be killed in a crash.

Motorcycling has become more popular in recent years. Motorcycles are fun, relatively inexpensive to own and insure, and get excellent fuel mileage. Because there are more motorcycles in traffic, its becoming even more important for drivers to share the road.

Visibility

In many car-motorcycle crashes, drivers claimed they “didn’t see” the motorcycle, or didn’t see it until it was too late. Because motorcycles are smaller and harder to see, great care needs to be taken to watch for them.

(CAR) Drivers should expect to see motorcycles at any time, and search aggressively for them. Remember that a motorcycle’s headlight is on all the time-this helps you see them during the day. A motorcycle can easily be hidden behind a car or truck, so it’s particularly important to check your mirrors and blind spot before merging or changing lanes, especially in heavy traffic. Also, look for a helmet above, tyres below, or a shadow alongside a vehicle that you can’t see around.

In traffic: maintain a large space cushion, and use all of your lane (right, left, and centre) to see and be seen. Wear brightly coloured protective gear and helmet: red, yellow, orange, and white are highly visible and help a rider stand out. Reflective tape and stickers can also make you more obvious. Use turn signals for every turn or lane change, even if you think no one will see it. Consider combining hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention to yourself. Flash your brake light two or three times before slowing down or stopping. Finally, remember that even in daylight, motorcycles are smaller and more difficult to see-even more so now that many cars have daytime running lamps. Look for situations where other drivers may be distracted or look right through you, and take measures to avoid those situations.

Intersections

The majority of car-motorcycle crashes happen at intersections. Typically, a car turns right in front of a moving motorcycle, violating its right of way and cutting off its path of travel. The motorcycle then either crashes into the car, or crashes trying to avoid the car.

Car drivers must be particularly alert at intersections, and take a second look specifically for motorcycles before pulling out. Because motorcycles are smaller, it’s hard to judge how far away a motorcycle is and how fast it’s going. Take an extra moment to determine the rider’s intentions and try to make eye contact. Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal-motorcycle signals don’t turn off by themselves like cars’ do, and riders often forget about them and can ride for a long time without realising their blinker is on. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.

(BIKE) Riders must never assume that they have been seen, and should approach each intersection with great care. Choose a lane position that makes you most visible to any cars waiting to turn. Be aware of any drivers behind you who may not have time to stop if you have to brake suddenly. When approaching intersections, slow down, and cover your brakes and clutch. Avoid flashing your high beam, and make sure your turn signals aren’t blinking-this can send other drivers the wrong message. Consider a short beep of your horn and try to make eye contact.